WORDS WILL MAXWELL / IMAGES JOE JONES
Scottish alt-rockers Twin Atlantic pack out the Manchester Academy 2, for a night of heartfelt rock anthems.
Opening up are the Alt-Indie Daytime TV. They are only one album into their career (2022’s nothing’s on but everyone’s watching) but they have already supported the likes of The Wombats, Kaiser Chiefs and Two Door Cinema Club. They say that supporting their fellow Scots on this tour is a particular honour.
This upbeat set full of catchy choruses shows why they have shared the stage with big artists already, and they are certainly on the way to even bigger and better things. Towards the end of the set, singer Will Irvine challenges the crowd, saying whoever puts the most effort in for the last three songs wins a signed album. Two lads who spent the whole set bouncing around are easily the winners, but this was a set enjoyed by all, with digital light, Block Out The Noise and Lost In Tokyo the highlights.
To the sounds of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Twin Atlatnic receive a rapturous welcome as they take to the stage. “Meltdown”, the title track to their recently released seventh studio album, perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the evening. Trademark Twin Atlantic, an emotional track with a rousing chorus which immediately has the crowd in the palm of their hands.
Old favourites such as “Yes, I Was Drunk”, the empowering “Free” and a storming rendition of “Make A Beast Of Myself” delight the old school fans. Anthems like this always make me think that they deserve a much bigger audience, but those who do follow them are really devoted, with everyone from the front to the back fully invested in every song as they sing back every word.
That includes the new material. Eight out of the eleven tracks from “Meltdown” are played, and lead singer/guitarist Sam McTrusty thanks the crowd for singing along, “Even to the new stuff, it means a lot”. He says Manchester holds a special place in their hearts, as “outside of Glasgow, this is the place we have played the most”, before listing most of the live venues in town, from the Night and Day Cafe to the Ritz.The angst-rock “Asleep”, the swaggering “World Class Entertainment” and the uplifting “Fall” all slot in perfectly alongside old favourites. Sam frequently engages the crowd and prompts us to sing along, but little encouragement is needed, particularly on “Hold On”.
“Sorry” – a track Sam has described as a message to his kids in the future, and the pain of “I Couldn’t Miss You Much More” keeps things going nicely, but the highlight of the new material is unquestionably “Snow In Texas”. Performed acoustically by Sam, this reflective ballad allows us to draw on our own memories and perfectly demonstrates why many people in this room feel so closely connected to the band.
As the set starts to draw to a close, the anthems come out to play. “Brothers And Sisters” and “The Chaser” are pure festival vibes, whilst “No Sleep” sees Sam go into the crowd to act as conductor.
The rest of the band depart after a euphoric “Heart And Soul”, to leave Sam to close the gig on his own, with a stunning performance of “Crash Land”.
Twin Atlantic prove once again that they are one of the finest live acts around and show no signs of slowing down.
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My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
